Beauty and the Youkai
by Salvatore Shan NW
Summary: SesshRin. Like the title, it's a retake on Beauty and the Beast with some new twists. When Sesshoumaru is cursed by a miko's dying spell, he has to learn to love but its not his younger brother that saves him. It's an orphan named Rin.


**Beauty and the Youkai**

I'm pretty sure this has been done before, but oh well. Most likely "Beauty" has been used for Kagome and Inuyasha is "Beast", but not for this one. No, this is strictly Sesshoumaru x Rin – my joint top favourite coupling with Inu/Kag of course. So, I was watching _Beauty and the Beast_ and I couldn't shake the thought of it – for the life of me, I couldn't. So I'm sorry if I'm repeating, it's more to get it out of my system than for reviews – but reviews would be nice! LOL!

**Chapter One  
**The Curse

The rain was thick as it battled through the forest, showering the hopeless citizens who fled from the storm as they fretted on the other side of the woods, faces lined with fear. Trees groaned in the wind, rocking back and forth as the weather picked up in strength.  
Farmers ran to their stables to calm their horses, mothers comforted their children and those who had no duty prayed that the weather would soon pass.  
There was one woman, though, who did not.

She walked through the forest with her head bowed, her brown eyes dark. There seemed to be an aura around her, and because of this the wolves of the woods pulled back away from her, fearfully.  
She wore loose-fitting red trousers and a white kimono, her dark hair pulled back into a low ponytail. A miko.

She ignored the lightning raging overhead, she seemed distant and apart from the world. She was human, but she couldn't _be_ human. Not unless she wished to die.  
The miko knew exactly where she was going. She stepped slowly, yet must have been in a rush as there was a deep wound in her shoulder – talon marks. In her hand was a small orb of light glowing pink in the darkness. It was being consumed by her blood, the pink light merging with the dark aura engulfing the jewel.

Her breathing became raspy and she found it hard to draw breath. Sweat gathered on her brow. Her body was sagging, yet when she saw the castle in the distance her hope lifted. It was bigger than the village the other side of the forest. It was surrounded by a barricade, where guards stood to attention. Beacons were at the top of the gate, no longer lit nor sheltered from the rain.

The guards descended on the miko in a rush of swords and spears. "State your business!" the leader cried, pointing his weapon in her face.  
She almost fainted right on the spot, her vision blurring. "I– I seek council with your lord," she managed, clutching tighter onto the jewel in her hands. She swayed on the spot and one of the men held her steady. They saw the blood. They knew she would not last long.

The leader lowered his weapon. He nodded behind him at the guards along the battlements. "Open the gate," he told them, glancing briefly at the miko. He looked sympathetic. "Your name, Miss?" he asked softly, helping her along. He felt he could trust her not to run and attack his master, she was dying and so thought it right to offer her this help. Nevertheless, he still flinched when he touched her. _Vermin…_

The woman rasped some more. "K-K-Kikyo," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. A guard behind them carefully removed her bow and arrows from where they were slung on her back. She made to argue but found herself collapsing in her aid's arms.  
He helped her along to the castle in the distance, a masterpiece of wooden pillars, statues and craftsmanship. Lanterns were lit at the top of the large steps leading up to the giant double doors. Dragon and gargoyle carvings sneered down at the formation of men travelling through the courtyard towards the castle.

The gate shut loudly behind them, the locking mechanism echoing into the night.  
"Byron, run on ahead and ask for our lord. Quickly," the leader said hurriedly, almost carrying Kikyo rather than supporting her. Byron shot daggers with his eyes, his face one of absolute disgust before running on ahead and almost slipping in the mud beginning to form in pools along the bricked path.

"Just hang in there, miko-sama," Kikyo's support muttered, getting a better grip on her. She nodded, wheezing.  
They were now a few feet away from the stone steps leading up to the wooden castle. The double doors opened, groaning. Amber light was cast outside, illuminating Kikyo and her followers.

There, in the doorframe, stood a boy about fourteen with long silver hair and eyes the colour of the setting sun. A moon sat between his two eyebrows, two pink stripes marring each cheek. Another little boy stood at his side, gripping hold of his brother's elegant white kimono imprinted with flowers. The little boy had matching hair and eyes, yet was dressed from head-to-toe in red. Two puppy-dog ears stuck out at angles from his head. He had his finger lodged in his mouth sweetly. His eyes were large and innocent, set in the face of an oblivious seven-year-old.  
Yes, they were definitely brothers. Inu youkai.

"M-My lord…" Kikyo whispered, brushing the guards aside. "I have heard… your sword– it is said to save a hundred souls… with– agh– one swing," she cringed, clutching her shoulder in agony.

The young lord's eyes narrowed. It was then Kikyo realised whose company she was in. Yes, she'd known the young lord was a youkai yet she had not known that the guards were. In her dying hour her powers had failed to locate and register the auras of those who surrounded her. Now it was becoming clear.

The guards were chatting together now, laughing at how stupid she was and how filthy – how retched. All except their captain, who seemed genuinely sorry. He stepped back away from her.  
Kikyo ignored them and focused on the young lord and his brother, her teeth clenched in self-anger. "I beg of you, sir. My duty… I must–"

The youngest boy blinked furiously, confused. He tugged on his brother's kimono, gazing up at him with eyes full of love. Kikyo could tell that his brother was his hero, his role-model. He needed this to turn out okay; the little one needed the pretty miko to live - then he would know his brother was not evil. "Sesshoumaru…"  
The lord didn't listen. His eyes narrowed even further. "Pathetic human," he spat. "You come to me for aid only when your own life is diminishing. You pollute the world with your race's existence. I _despise _humans!"

His little brother cringed, his hand tightening on the elder boy's kimono. Kikyo noticed this, her eyes ablaze as her expression crumpled in disbelief. "Even when your own _brother _is a hanyou?" she cried.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened briefly, stunned. He took in a shaky breath, trembling with fury before deciding that it really wasn't worth it. He calmed. "You know nothing, fool," he hissed, before turning on his heel and walking away. The little boy at his side raised his head, running after him.

"Nii-chan? Nii-chan, what's a 'hanyou'?" he called after him.  
Kikyo gritted her teeth. She made to lunge after the two boys, but then she saw the guards in the shadows at the side of the door – ready to bar her entrance. She sucked in a breath, collapsing to the floor and crying out in pain.

"Sesshoumaru! Listen to me now!" she screamed, tears streaming out of her eyes. "The hatred in you is t-too great! Agh!" she grasped tighter on to her shoulder, screeching. "I can see–! T-There is no love in your heart! Not for yourself, not even for your brother! And until you can see that true beauty is inside, no matter what the race – you shall remain a beast, my lord. A beast!"

Sesshoumaru turned at this, amused. "Are you cursing me, wench?" he whispered, eyes glowing. He and Kikyo were so far apart now that he could not see her face clearly – could not see that these were her last words.  
Kikyo clenched her fists. She rolled the jewel in her hand down the corridor towards the youkai lord, but it was his younger brother that ran to fetch it, his eyes wide.  
Sesshoumaruappeared afraid for a brief instant. "Inuyasha, don't–"

The miko grinned almost wickedly. "Unless you learn to love within– ten years, you shall forever remain– a monster! If that jewel is not– purified in– ten years, you shall be– doomed for eternity! With– my last– breath I… I hold you to this curse!" she screamed, an aura surrounding her body and pulsating outwards until it turned the world an icy blue. Everything seemed frozen suddenly.

Inuyasha let out a cry as he clutched onto the jewel, covering his eyes with his arm. Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed, and again he appeared afraid as he made towards his brother. And then the world was still.

Kikyo's corpse slumped on the top step, her eyes flickering shut as the blood from her gaping wound seeped into her kimono, turning it from plain white to a red as dark as that of her trousers.  
The jewel in Inuyasha's hand began to glow and it appeared to absorb the blood coating it. When he looked up, the guards were gone. Instead, there was a pile of armour, clothing, weapons and bones where they had been stood.  
Bile rose in the back of Inuyasha's throat, his eyes widening in horror.

"N-Nii-chan?" he said softly, turning. He didn't managed to face his brother. Sesshoumaru growled. "To your chambers. Now!"  
Inuyasha began gibbering and let out a cry. He turned and ran, panting. "Hai!" he cried, dropping the jewel on the floor.

The strange thing was, when his feet touched the floor so did his hands. Why was he running on all fours? He felt degraded suddenly. Looking around at where he had been stood, he saw a pile of clothes – his clothes. And then he saw himself for what he truly was.

A tail swished between his legs. His skin was white and fluffy. He raised his right hand to feel his face. The first thing he realised was that he had paws, not hands, and when he touched his nose he had a snout. His stomach churned and he whined, terrified. "N-Nii-chan!" he cried, looking for his brother. But Sesshoumaru had already disappeared.

_

* * *

__This can't be happening… _Sesshoumaru thought in a daze, pacing through his own castle with alarm worn freely on his face. Where his guards and servants had been were now clothes andpiles of bones. All of them – dead. He was all alone in his castle – but how could he and his brother be unaffected? Why was Inuyasha and he still alive? Were they ghosts  
The only thing that really registered was the fact that he was cursed. Cursed for eternity…Sesshoumaru thought in a daze, pacing through his own castle with alarm worn freely on his face. Where his guards and servants had been were now clothes andpiles of bones. All of them – dead. He was all alone in his castle – but how could he and his brother be unaffected? Why was Inuyasha and he still alive? Were they ghostsThe only thing that really registered was the fact that he was cursed. Cursed for eternity… 

He let out a growl, rushing to the north gate. Outside was an annex building built for his brother and the boy's human servants. Sesshoumaru felt that his brother, being a hanyou, did not deserve youkai servants and should stick with humans, though one small kitsune stayed in his company. The fact that the majority were humans was why they were separate from the castle. But Sesshoumaru had to know whether it had affected them too – whether they too were dead.

He broke the door down, his heart pounding. But what he saw wasn't a pile of bones. There, sat around the hearth, were three sleeping animals – one brown and the other two black, one of these was an inu and the other two were cats. Sesshoumaru simply gaped. There was also a cup sat beside a crude kind of teapot.  
All of them – transformed. He had no doubt in his mind that he and his brother were now affected. But how…?

_Of course, Kikyo, that witch... She wouldn't have put the curse on innocents, would she? _Sesshoumaru stepped outside, heading towards the lake in the courtyard. It had long stopped raining and the moon shone like a pearl in the night sky, reflected on the water's surface. Despite the fear, Sesshoumaru found he had to look – he had to know.  
He gazed down into the water and took in a shaky breath.

He was in his true form – an inuyoukai about five times bigger than an average inu. This form would grow parallel to his human form -as he would age, so his youkai-form would grow. Unlike his late father, he would not reach to about one thousand feet fully grown – only half of this if he was lucky.  
His markings and large ruby eyes glared back at him, angrily.  
Sesshoumaru could normally control his form – but when he tried to changed back he couldn't.

"_… You shall forever remain a monster!" _

Eternity? In his true form? He didn't think he could survive a day without walking on two feet, tossing his hair, sparring with the guards and barking orders around. He crouched low to the ground, whining in disbelief.

"Brother?"  
He didn't turn around at the sound of Inuyasha's voice. The younger boy sounded infinitely sad. "Sesshoumaru, K-Kagome's an inu…" he whimpered.  
Sesshoumaru turned to see a silver-coated Husky standing next to a Labrador puppy with deep brown eyes. Her nose was close to the ground, her body trembling.

_So we can still speak aloud? _Sesshoumaru thought incredulously. He frowned, the thought diminishing as he beganpacing back and forth. "A curse… How dare she put a curse on _me_!"  
"Sesshoumaru-sama, what has happened?" a feeble voice whispered. A voice of a troubled five-year-old girl named Kagome. It was the Labrador who spoke.  
The Husky was nudging her with his nose, licking the side of her face affectionately.

Sesshoumaru growled. "To your chambers – both of you! This will– This will pass! Just _go_!" he snapped, furious.  
Inuyasha's head jerked up, then he appeared to nod. He nuzzled Kagome once more before leading her to the annex building. The inu looked back once before turning back to her friend.

Sesshoumaru watched them leave, shaking with fury.  
_"Unless you learn to love within ten years, you shall forever remain a monster!"  
_He gritted his teeth, crouching low to the ground before laying down and covering his eyes with his front paws.

He knew it was hopeless. For how could he ever learn to love?_  
_

* * *

**Words: **

**Hai: yes  
Inu: dog  
Youkai: demon  
Hanyou: half-demon/half-breed  
Miko: priestess  
-sama: suffix, honorary – meaning lord or master, e.g. Sesshoumaru-sama means Lord Sesshoumaru and miko-sama means Lady Priestess  
-chan: suffix, used for someone you grew up with or are friends with. Nii-chan, Kagome-chan... you name it.  
Nii: I think it means brother. Sota calls Inuyasha Inu-no-nii-chan and Kagome nee-chan.  
Kitsune - fox youkai  
**


End file.
